galacticafanonfandomcom-20200214-history
Battlestar Columbia (D18)
Famously the Battlestar Columbia (BS 47) was one of the original battlestars, though her production was rushed, and when she was commissioned her initial specifications would have more in common with a post-War battlestar outfit than what is her remembered strength at the time her destruction. Columbia went 'forwards' whilst in comparison her sister ship Galactica went 'backwards' in the equipment they had aboard during the refits, repairs and from time in dock from their histories. As example- leaving docks Columbia's ''alligator head lacked much of the armour that would later be applied to her because that 'delay of planned work' sped up her entry into service- for OPERATION Clean Sweep - and she also lacked quite a few anti-ship gun turrets compared to ''Galactica because of disruption in production at the time. She was commissioned with 24 gun turrets but ready to carry a significant enlarged Air Group. Here follows Columbia's War Diary in the months leading up to Clean Sweep, during and after with recollections and personal testimonies provided. Service History After commissioning the work-up schedule had Columbia assigned variously to Scorpia Shipyards, Training Command and then Caprica Control. It began it's wartime service when it joined the deliberately enlarged BSG 75 in the ramp up to a series of planned OPERATIONs by the Colonial Fleet. BSG 75 Battlestar Group 75 by basic understanding was seen as the formation of Colonial military vessels built around the battlestar Galactica, including its accompanying support ships. These support ships fulfilled offensive and defensive combat roles, as well as combat support roles from right alongside the Battlestar- which was responsible for its own firepower, air-wing and aboard support facilities- whilst sharing its command and control capabilities. In the lead-up and during OPERATION: Clean Sweep the concept of a battlestar group was expanded, and so also encompassed formations operating several battlestars as a combined, coordinated combat package— in 75's case assembled as a task force for a specific mission- and during this time 75's size swelled considerably. This history centres on the Battlestar Columbia and associated support units, which joined 75 in the lead up to Clean Sweep, so playing a significant role in that operation. Famous Crew Over the service life of the battlestar various notable Colonials served aboard or were assigned to associated units. *Commander - W.G. Pallopides *Executive Officer - M.I. Shaw *Chief Medical Officer - K.U. Oreb *Commander Air Group - *Tactical Officer - C.D. Florizel, O.C. Kerr *Squadron Leader - D.A. Phaulkon *Viper Pilot - T.A. Kulkarni, Z.H. Song, E.X. Staffel *Raptor Pilot - B.P. Yang, Y.N. Veldt, P.A. Derwent *ECO - War Diary *Page 1 *Page 2 *Page 3 Notes *Columbia appears in BSG: Razor (flashbacks), this is a fan imagining of that ship within Dimension 18. All efforts are made to keep references and facts in-line with existing Battlestar materials from the series, Caprica, and Blood and Chrome. Where Dimension 18 material contradicts official material, the latter takes precedence. Category:Cylon War (D18) Category:Battlestars